falling on hardwood floors

[stylesbjj**]

I saw Human Weapon tonight, it was the Judo episode.

The guys went to a dojo where they practiced on hardwood floors, and it seemed that the practitionars broke there falls using the balls of their feet (sorta like bridge fall if anyone is familiar with that). In judo, we don't really ephasize breaking our fall with our feet. I'm wondering, if falling that way is good enough for hardwood floors, why not on mats?

Thoughts?

 

[TheBigS]

I saw Human Weapon tonight, it was the Judo episode.

The guys went to a dojo where they practiced on hardwood floors, and it seemed that the practitionars broke there falls using the balls of their feet (sorta like bridge fall if anyone is familiar with that). In judo, we don't really ephasize breaking our fall with our feet. I'm wondering, if falling that way is good enough for hardwood floors, why not on mats?

Thoughts?

I think on the history channel's website for the show, in the message forum or someplace on there, I read either Jason or Bill say that they didn't show footage of some guys who were training there who had developed some bad back and joint problems from falling on that hardwood floor.

It was fascinating though...I remember feeling incredibly sore and stiff when I was first doing ukemi drills on mats--I can't imagine doing those on hardwood floors.

 

[Czyivn]

Hmm, I think breaking with the balls of your feet like that is only really a good idea if your opponent is still holding your upper body up, as they were in the episode. It seems to me that breaking your fall that way makes you far more likely to crack the back of your head on the floor if your opponent doesn't hold you up.

 

[Darkslide632]

I saw Human Weapon tonight, it was the Judo episode.

The guys went to a dojo where they practiced on hardwood floors, and it seemed that the practitionars broke there falls using the balls of their feet (sorta like bridge fall if anyone is familiar with that). In judo, we don't really ephasize breaking our fall with our feet. I'm wondering, if falling that way is good enough for hardwood floors, why not on mats?

Thoughts?

When you land on mats, your main goal is to minimize impact on any particular point on your body by spreading the force out over your entire body. On hard floors/ground/whatever your goal is going to be to protect the spine, neck and head. One way to do this is to arch your back so that impact is taken largely with the feet, legs and to a minor extent, across the shoulders.

So, the answer to your question is that it would be perfectly fine to practice landing like this on mats. However, it would increase your chances of injury to your ankles, etc while minimizing the chance of injury to your spine. Since most of us practice on padded surfaces, it's just not worth the added risk in an effort to protect, what should already be, a well protected spine.

 

[stylesbjj**]

Interesting. I think both ways should be taught, one for sport, other for a street fighting situation.

 

[Darkslide632]

Interesting. I think both ways should be taught, one for sport, other for a street fighting situation.

If you train in a Judo dojo that teaches self defense, it is taught.

 

[zfolwick]

the judo episode was crap from what I hear.

 

[Hektik]

i liked the episode, i know alot of joint and bone problems come from the throws on hardwood, i got hurt today getting thrown on the ground outside so i can imagine a hardwood floor :S

 

[Thrawn33]

It was fascinating though...I remember feeling incredibly sore and stiff when I was first doing ukemi drills on mats--I can't imagine doing those on hardwood floors.

QFT. Even two years after my first lesson in ukemi I still feel like I've been put through a meat grinder after a day of many falls on the tatamis. Call me a puss, but those guys in the mountains can keep their hardwood floors.

As for standard ukemi, it works just fine on a concrete pool deck. Loud as hell (slapped the ground), but the look on the lifeguard's face (and everyone in the pool) as I calmly stood up and gave the ok sign was priceless. Tucking the old chin saved my head from making contact with the tile surrounding the pool and saving further injury.

 

[YeahBee]

^^^^ tucking the chin has saved me from many hard falls on the snowboard

 

[Thrawn33]

My coach was thrown from his motorcycle, over the hood of the car that hit him, stood up and walked back to the shaken motorist thanks to his decades of judo. I think he said he wasn't wearing a helmet either.

Ukemi: not just for practice.